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Alberta Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Alberta

Banff National Park 562

Bow Valley 1,314

Calgary 95

Castle Wildland Provincial Park 46

Crowsnest Pass 137

Dry Ranges, The 8

Edmonton 7

Ghost (North, South, Waiporous Creek), The 40

Icefields Parkway 80

Jasper National Park 154

Kananaskis 318

Nordegg [David Thompson Corridor] 95

Skyline Boulders (Porcupine Hills) 17

Waterton Lakes National Park 18

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	6,213 ft	1,894 m
GPS:	50.93069, -114.87297 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	2,950,557 total · 13,422/month
Shared By:	Peter Spindloe on Apr 15, 2007 · Updates
Admins:	Dave Rone, Tom Jones, Richard Rose, Rhys Beaudry Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

Alberta is the epicenter (or epicentre) of Canadian Alpine climbing with countless snow and ice covered peaks, glaciers and famous north faces. Alberta is also famous for some of the best ice climbing in the world.

Fortunately, Alberta is also well rounded and has sport and trad rock climbing a-plenty. The limestone and quartzite in the river canyons in the Canmore area probably have Canada's greatest concentrations of sport routes. Trad cragging is perhaps a little more limited than some other areas as the limestone of famous peaks like Yamnuska have great history and great routes but less solid rock; the climbing is more adventurous than a granite-trained tradster might be used to.

Getting There

Calgary provides easy access to Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise and all of the surrounding areas. Edmonton provides access if your destinations are further north.

Guiding Services

There are a large number of guides in large and small operations in the area. Guides on Crown lands are generally required to hold an ACMG certification for their discipline. You can find a guide through the ACMG search: http://acmg.ca/03public/guides/memberlist_mg.asp

Other Relevant Websites

Consult this list of great websites for the valley:

2,891 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Alberta

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

WI5 50 ● Polar Circus Ice 9 pitches Icefields Parkway > Weeping Wall Area
WI4-5 77 ● Lower Weeping Wall Ice 3 pitches Icefields Parkway > Weeping Wall Area
WI4 90 ● The Professor Falls Ice 6 pitches Banff NP > Mt Rundle > Professor Falls Area
WI4 56 ● Moonlight Ice 2 pitches Kananaskis > Evan Thomas Creek > Moonlight/Snowline Area
WI4-5 110 ● Louise Falls Ice 3 pitches Banff NP > Lake Louise > Lake Louise Ice
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 76 ● Joy Trad 10 pitches Kananaskis > Mt Indefatigable
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c 58 ● Achilles Spire Sport, Alpine 13 pitches Icefields Parkway > Mt Hector & Mt Androm…
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 67 ● South Face Trad, Alpine 4 pitches Banff NP > Sentinel Pass > Grand Sentinel
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 77 ● Plutonian Shores Sport 7 pitches Banff NP > Raven Crag
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 103 ● Public Enemy Sport Banff NP > … > Back of The Lake > Outhouse Wall
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 80 ● Turtle Mountain Sport Banff NP > … > Back of The Lake > Outhouse Wall
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 83 ● Cardiac Arete Sport, Alpine 4 pitches Banff NP > Sentinel Pass > Grand Sentinel
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 90 ● Meathooks Sport Bow Valley > Grassi Lakes > Meathooks Area
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 158 ● Wicked Gravity Sport Banff NP > … > Back of The Lake > Outhouse Wall
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 61 ● Mardi Gras Sport Banff NP > … > Back of The Lake > Outhouse Wall